Your most and least expensive basses

One of the best sounding basses I’ve owned was a pink yamaha fretless i paid $120 for. (I did have a used Lollar pbass pickup installed in it,so that brought the price up $50.)
I also had a Danelectro Hodad 3-pickup bass that i really loved.
Most expensive are probably my Rickenbacker 4004 models and a Veillette-Citron, although the most I’ve ever paid directly for any bass was $2k.

 

Cheapest: A Warmoth Jazz I put together a couple years ago. All told it’s somewhere in the $1,500 range for all of the parts and then my labor to assemble and set it up.


Most expensive: A Dingwall Super J that I custom ordered in November of 2019 and just received a couple days ago. I’ve been posting about it all over TB, so apologies to those that are sick of it already. After tax the final sale price as spec’d was $5,317.83.

 

Least expensive is a Bulgarian Orfeusz bass that I paid about $80 for - actually a really cool sounding bass which I've recorded with (runner up would be Danelectro Longhorn "Dead On '58" reissue which is terrific IMO). Most valuable is probably '64 Thunderbird (though I've paid more for other basses).

 

My cheapest bass also happens to be my most treasured bass. About $300 around 20 years ago, boughten for me by my dear friend Dan (RIP) when I was nearly on-foot. I will never, ever part with this bass for any reason.


Ged reddy for a red Geddy... this one was a few dollars more than my #1 above.

 

My cheapest is a Dean Metalman V paid about $100. It's the model with the one soapbar in the MM spot. It's my most comfortable bass to play. With the tapered body it's just so damn comfortable. Light weight too.

My most expensive is a Roscoe SKB3006. I didn't buy it new which was probably around 3k but I traded a 2k-ish Ric for it. It's everything you would hope a 6 string boutique bass to be.

But that's my problem. I can find the good in almost any bass. That's probably why I'll never be able to own just one. I fight myself about that all the time.

 

I bought a number of basses that cost me $100 or less:

USA made 1992 Peavey Fury for $40
USA made 1990 Peavey Fury for $60
USA Made 1992 Peavey Foundation for $75
USA made 1984 Peavey Foundation S for $75
USA made 1997 Peavey G bass (graphite neck, active bass) for $100

My most expensive is my EBMM USA SUB StingRay Bass for $608

 

Least Expensive:



Lakland 55-02 I picked up a few years back. Really solid bass that I use in any situation.

Most Expensive:



Alembic Europa 5 string w/ Series I electronics I ordered in 2003. The replacement value is 4 to 5 times what I paid for it. Still my dream bass after all of these years.

Bones

 

My high $$$ instrument is this Skjold 5 string Skjoldslayer I picked up used for a good price ($3.5k) last year. If I had ordered one custom it wouldn’t have been much different from this one.



My least expensive is this Squier Pro Tone series P-5 that I got for free as part of an endorsement deal back in ‘96.

 

The most expensive bass I ever bought was a Stephen Sukop 4 string.

My least expensive is an early '60s Silvertone Model 1444 by Danelectro that I found at a yard sale for $25 with the case.

The Sukop is long gone but I still use the Silvertone.

Now my most expensive bass is a Fender Mustang LE PJ.

 

View attachment 4290750 View attachment 4290750
American Geddy Lee Jazz: $1,664 (current price $1,999)

SX Short Scale Fretless: $65

Carvin SB5000: $900

 

I picked both these up at pawnshops in the last few years.

'78 Fender Natural P-Bass ($400, which makes it my most expensive)


'74 Fender Sunburst Jazz Bass ($59.95, which makes it my least expensive)

 

Most expensive: White 90 Pedulla Buzz $1,550

Least Expensive: Midnight Blue 2000 MIM Fender P, $97 (including gas and tolls) ($300 with all the upgrades)

(Picture includes my 2nd and 3rd most expensive too)

 

I sure would like to know the pawn shops that you frequent .

 

Most expensive was my DP custom, I think my 5er. Around $1850ish.


My cheapest is my trusty USA peavey fury I bought for $60. I've put a bit of money into it, but wasn't necessary.

 

Cheapest
Squier Jag $180 in 2011

Most Expensive
Warwick Corvette Short scale $1000 in 2008

 

‘98 Ibanez ATK305. Bought brand new. $300 cash and traded my first bass an Aria Pro II my parents bought when I first started playin in ‘94. This Ibanez started off black with the pickguard. I had it painted House Of Colors auto paint by a local shop in ‘03-‘04. Still have it but she’s in retirement mode.


Fodera Yin Yang Standard 5. 1 of 10 made in ‘17-18 after they discontinued it as a normal production model. Paid just north of $6k. It’s like it was made for my body and hands. After a pickup swap, it’s exactly what I needed.

 

Least expensive: Used Squier Affinity J ($70 bought in 2020)
Most expensive: Brand New Fender Am. Std. J ($1.200ish bought in 2006)

I don't own the Fender mentioned above anymore, but I got other ones bought used for sub $900.

 

I’ve owned guitars and basses that cost around $3700 new including Fender, MTD, Gibson , Taylor, and Ernie Ball Musicman.

My least expensive now is a Squier Classic Vibe 60’s Pbass. Bought used $230. My Sire V3-5 new priced around $350 IIRC.

Carvin SB5000 $750 used.

Fender USA Geddy Lee new 10 months ago $ 1400.

The only one I could see myself ever parting with is maybe the Sire.